


Fresh Perspectives

by smarshtastic



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch Jesse McCree, Blackwatch Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Injury Recovery, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Prosthesis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 05:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10379868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smarshtastic/pseuds/smarshtastic
Summary: It's his first real assignment back on the job with the Blackwatch squad and Jesse would be lying if he didn't admit that he was more than a little nervous about it. He shouldn't be; he passed all the physical and mental exams with flying colors. On top of that, it's not like this is the first time that Jesse’s been off the base since losing his arm. There were a few low-level assignments to test the waters, get his feet wet. All of those missions had gone fine. Still, there's a nagging worry in the back of his mind.---With Gabe's help, Jesse learns to deal with a few of his new parts.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fabrega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/gifts).



> This is for the Growth/Change prompt for [McReyes Spring Break](https://mcreyesevents.tumblr.com/). Uh, sorry about yesterday, everyone. 
> 
> Super big shout out to actual angel [fabrega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabrega/) for being a super duper speedy beta with a high tolerance for my wonky sentence structures. 
> 
> You can find me on [tumblr](http://wictorwictor.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/smarshtastic).

Jesse sits stiffly in his seat, back flat against the wall of the transport vessel, drumming the fingers of his metal hand against his knee. It still feels alien, unfamiliar, even though the Overwatch medical team brought in the best tech there is to get Jesse back up to speed. He's grateful, sure, but that doesn't make it any less  _ weird _ . 

It's his first real assignment back on the job with the Blackwatch squad and Jesse would be lying if he didn't admit that he was more than a little nervous about it. He shouldn't be; he passed all the physical and mental exams with flying colors. On top of that, it's not like this is the first time that Jesse’s been off the base since losing his arm. There were a few low-level assignments to test the waters, get his feet wet. All of those missions had gone fine. Still, there's a nagging worry in the back of his mind as the Newtons fly the strike team through restricted airspace to a particularly remote and well-protected patch of land somewhere in Southern Asia. 

“It's good to have you back,” Shiga says, leaning over to look at Jesse. He gives him a bright smile. 

“Back in the saddle again,” Jesse nods, returning the smile. It  _ is  _ nice being back with the strike team - not that they forgot about him while he was recovering - but he missed being in the thick of everything with them. They'd come visit and regale him with tales of their latest missions, and, more often than not, Jesse couldn't shake the feeling that they were just visiting out of pity or obligation, in spite of their reassurances. It's better that he gets to rejoin them properly. 

“It wasn't the same without you,” Shiga says. He leans in closer, lowers his voice. “It's just not as fun teasing Edwards, you know?”

Jesse laughs. Some of the tension melts out of his body as Shiga grins at him. It's good to be back. 

The Newtons drop the squad a little ways away from their target, safely out of range of the manmade island’s protections. Wake turns around in the pilot’s seat to wave to Jesse. 

“Welcome back, Jesse!” she says brightly. “Have fun!”

“Be  _ safe _ ,” Tack says, less enthusiastic than his sister but just as fond. Jesse gives them a little wave as he hops out of the transport shuttle, feeling even better about being back on duty than before. 

As the transport shuttle flies away, Gabe gathers everyone around to review the mission parameters and their assignments. 

“...And McCree’s with me. Shiga, with Edwards,” Gabe concludes. Jesse looks quickly to his right to see the disappointment cross over Shiga’s face. 

“I thought McCree was with me,” Shiga protests. 

“Change of plans,” Gabe says simply. “Move out.”

Shiga makes a face at Jesse, hoisting his pack further up his shoulder as he moves off with Edwards. Jesse makes his own face, hanging back with Gabe. 

“You don't gotta baby me,” Jesse says when they're alone, fiddling with the comm link in his ear so he doesn’t have to make eye contact. Gabe frowns at him. 

“That's not why I did it,” Gabe says. Jesse huffs. 

“Well that's what they're going to think,” Jesse says, jerking his head in the direction of his squad mates’ retreating backs. The strike team - most of Blackwatch, really - knows about his and Gabe’s relationship, even though they’re all supposed to keep it under wraps. Nobody has made a fuss about it, and that’s mostly because Jesse and Gabe have been extraordinarily careful. The two of them have done everything in their power to keep up appearances; no favoritism, no special treatment, no public displays of affection. Still, the Blackwatch team is full of clever, perceptive agents and there’s no mistaking the lingering looks that Jesse and Gabe exchange, the brushes of their hands, their preference to work side by side when they can get away with it. Jesse doesn’t want to ruin it, not now. 

“I missed having you with me on these missions, Jesse,” Gabe says, his voice going quiet. Jesse blinks, his face softening. 

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Well,” Jesse says, going a little gruff. He clears his throat. “Better get moving then.”

Jesse pretends that he's not smiling as Gabe falls into step beside him. It  _ does  _ feel good - almost like before he got hurt. He's still not entirely used to the weight of his new arm, but the gun in his right hand is a familiar comfort. They wind their way into the thick jungle without speaking, shoulder to shoulder, comfortable in their silence. 

Jesse and Gabe find their position after a solid hour of hacking their way through the jungle. Sweat is trickling down the back of Jesse’s neck and his fatigues are sticking to his chest uncomfortably. Gabe crouches next to him, peering through the trees at the ramshackle building - a weapons cache - that is their target. He glances at Jesse. 

“Okay?” Gabe asks quietly. Jesse nods. 

“Okay,” he says. He knows Gabe doesn't mean any offense by checking in like this - he actually appreciates it, deep down - but he doesn’t want to be a distraction. It’s important to him that this mission goes well. 

Valdez checks in over the comms, and Edwards follows shortly after. 

“Charges in place,” Shiga pipes in. “Ready when you are.”

“Let ‘em rip,” Gabe says. 

A moment later and the east side of the building explodes in a hail of cement and sand. Jesse wiggles a finger in his ear - it's been awhile, he's not used to it - but the ringing stops soon after as the dust begins to settle. 

“Hold your positions,” Gabe says into the comm. They don't know how the building is rigged, if the weapons cache within is volatile, so they have to be careful. 

They don't get much time; hostiles swarm the burning building, streaming in from the jungle. It was a trap. 

Jesse watches a dozen or so hostiles converge on Shiga and Edwards’ location. He lurches forward immediately, but Gabe grabs him back. More hostiles pour out of the jungle. Jesse counts another six or seven. 

“I can help,” Jesse says suddenly, forcefully, looking at Gabe. “I can do it.”

Gabe hesitates. “Are you sure?”

Jesse nods, even though he’s not. He steps to the edge of the clearing and sights down the barrel of his pistol. 

Δ Δ Δ

“They’re not going to kick you out, Jesse,” Gabe is saying, voice low, urgent. He’s sitting close to Jesse’s bed in the infirmary. It’s late, the lights are dim and the flurry of activity since Jesse’s woken up has finally died down. Gabe is sitting on Jesse’s right side, fingers grasping Jesse’s one remaining hand tightly. Jesse’s trying not to look at him, one eye resolutely on the ceiling, the other hidden behind a patch. 

“You don’t know that,” Jesse says. He can’t keep the bitter note out of his voice. He doesn’t mean to snap at Gabe. Nothing about this whole situation was his fault at all. But Jesse hurts - his whole body hurts. He’s ashamed, embarrassed. This shouldn't have happened. He should’ve been better than this. 

“I won’t let them,” Gabe says forcefully, squeezing his hand.

“They've done it before,” Jesse says, finally turning to look at Gabe. It's hard to see his expression in the darkened infirmary. His voice breaks a little. “They took me away from Blackwatch before. Maybe Morrison will put me on desk duty.”

Gabe tugs Jesse’s hand up, pressing it to his lips. “Jesse.”

Jesse has to turn his head to look back up at the ceiling. Tears burn behind his eyelid and the patch over what’s left of his other eye. His throat works to keep down the sob that’s threatening to well up. 

Suddenly, Jesse finds himself being shifted over on the bed, which dips under Gabe’s weight. Gabe crowds in close and pulls Jesse to his chest. Jesse resists for a moment then buries his face into Gabe’s neck, the sob escaping his throat. He fists his right hand in Gabe’s shirt while Gabe holds him close, nose buried in Jesse’s hair, murmuring reassurances. 

“It’s okay, Jesse. I got you. I got you.”

Δ Δ Δ

“What does that mean?” Jesse asks, squinting at Angela with his good eye. She hands him a tablet, glancing at Gabe, who’s sitting in the corner, but keeps directing her words to Jesse. 

“Captain Amari has a similar implant,” Angela says. “It should not only restore the vision to your eye, but also enhance it.”

Jesse looks up from the tablet. 

“Enhance it?” 

“You’re already an excellent marksman, Jesse,” Angela says. “Your skills - combined with your, ah,  _ augmented  _ body chemistry…” Angela trails off, glancing at Gabe again. Gabe doesn’t flinch, but Jesse knows what Angela’s referencing. There was one time, a few years into his tenure at Blackwatch, that Jesse had had a transfusion of Gabe’s blood in the field. It left behind a trace amount of the SEP augmentation that flowed through Gabe’s own veins. Neither of them had thought about the possible side effects at the time, given that, at the time, Gabe was more concerned about keeping Jesse alive. Gabe’s blood seemed to have lingered in Jesse’s system, giving Jesse some advantages over his regular, unenhanced colleagues. Angela, after scolding Gabe for being reckless, had been fascinated - she never reported the incident up the command chain. “You’re a very good candidate,” Angela concludes. 

Jesse sets down the tablet and looks at Gabe. He finds that Gabe is already looking at him, though his expression is unreadable. Technically, Gabe shouldn’t be there - being not only his commanding officer but also not actually family - but Jesse had asked him, explicitly, to accompany him to his appointment. Over the years, Jesse had been slowly learning that he didn’t have to suffer alone. Blackwatch had his back in a way that Deadlock never did. More importantly, he was learning to trust that Gabe would happily stay by his side through the worst of it, too. Gabe loves him; he won’t dump Jesse for someone who’s whole, complete. It was comforting knowing that Jesse wouldn’t have to go through his recovery alone. It’s something Jesse still hasn’t managed to get used to - unconditional love. 

“I’ll let you have some time to think about it,” Angela says delicately. She slips out of the exam room. 

“I don’t know,” Jesse says, once she’s gone. He fusses with the patch over his eye a little. Gabe doesn’t say anything. “It’s weird, isn’t it? I’m not… I don’t have any training like Ana. I don’t know what to do with it.”

“You’d learn,” Gabe says mildly. “If you want to.”

“But Ana’s so busy -”

“You know she’d make time for you, if you asked.”

“I don’t know, Gabe,” Jesse says.“I can’t ask her to do that.”

“You could,” Gabe says. 

Jesse hesitates, dropping his hand to scratch at the stump of his left arm. He doesn’t quite touch it - it’s still too weird, he still hasn’t quite wrapped his mind around it. He avoids touching it as much as possible. If he doesn’t acknowledge it, maybe it’ll be less real. Gabe comes over and takes his hand, squeezing it between both of his own. 

“What if it doesn’t work?” Jesse asks, voice small, eyes on their hands. 

“Angela’s the best,” Gabe says confidently. “And the tech has come a long way since Ana got her implant, too.”

Jesse is so scared that his injuries will prevent him from going back onto active duty - he’s afraid of making the wrong decision, something that will hamper his ability to rejoin Blackwatch. Jesse tips his head up to look at Gabe. 

“You’ll help too?”

“Of course I will, Jesse,” Gabe says. He leans in, presses a soft, sweet kiss to Jesse’s mouth. Jesse closes his eye and relaxes into it. After a moment, he pulls away just enough to rest his forehead against Gabe’s. 

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

Δ Δ Δ

From his spot at the edge of the clearing, Jesse can see about a dozen and a half of the hostiles as they weave in between the trees, converging on Shiga and Edwards’ position. Their voices mingle with Valdez and Prithi’s over the comm in his ear. He keeps his gun arm steady as he focuses in, highlighting six targets. He can feel Gabe’s presence at his back, tense, on high alert. Jesse tries to block him out. This is the first time he’s tried to pull this stunt in the field - he doesn’t want to mess it up. 

Jesse pulls the trigger. 

Shots ring out and Jesse staggers back. Heat flares in his left eye. He feels Gabe’s hand on his shoulder but he steadies himself and takes aim once more. 

Focus. Aim. Fire. 

Again: focus. Aim. Fire. 

Jesse feels the ground shift underneath him. The voices over the comm sound distant, far away. He tips backwards, but Gabe’s hands catch him before he falls. 

“Just relax - you did it - it’s okay -”

Jesse nods, squinting against the shooting pain in his left eye, and lets his vision go dark. 

Δ Δ Δ

Jesse faces down the bots on the practice range, Peacekeeper a heavy, familiar weight in his right hand. He doesn’t have to look behind him to know that Gabe is standing far back and to the side, observing, unobtrusive. Next to him, Ana shifts her stance. 

“You won’t know until you try, Jesse,” she says, voice gentle. Jesse’s fingers flex around the handle of his gun. 

“I know,” he says. The headaches have subsided, somewhat, but it still makes him nervous. He rocks back on his heels. 

“Take your time. Don’t force it,” Ana reminds him. “You don’t want to hurt yourself.”

Jesse nods. He lets his breath out and raises his gun. Instead of closing his left eye, like he’d been used to all these years, he keeps it open. It is a hard habit to break. He focuses on the bots at the end of the range and watches with wonder as they light up in his field of vision. He squeezes the trigger. 

Jesse stumbles backwards, head spinning. Ana steadies him. 

“That was very good. How did it feel?”

Jesse puts a hand to his head, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. 

“Okay,” Jesse says. He looks at Ana. “Did it work?”

“Look,” Ana nods down the range. Jesse turns and sees all six bots in a pile on the ground. Jesse blinks. 

“Woah.”

Ana smiles. “Let’s keep practicing.”

Δ Δ Δ

Jesse wakes up on the transport shuttle, head throbbing. He tries to sit up but Shiga’s face comes into view above him. He presses Jesse back down, grinning at him through a split lip and black eye. 

“Hey, no more thrilling heroics today,” Shiga says. Jesse blinks up at his friend, who appears to have split into at least two or three different versions, all floating together. Jesse’s head is killing him. 

“What happened?”

“You saved our asses is what happened,” Shiga says. He looks up. “Hey, Commander. Jesse’s awake.”

Jesse turns his head as Gabe comes to crouch next to him. Gabe wobbles and shifts in Jesse’s vision, making it hard to focus on him. He doesn’t look angry, at least. Shiga squeezes Jesse’s shoulder and steps aside, moving back to a seat further up. 

“Hey,” Gabe says softly. “How do you feel?”

Jesse grimaces. “Like shit.”

“You weren’t supposed to do that,” Gabe chides. His fingers belie his tone, pushing the hair gently off Jesse’s forehead. “Ana said you shouldn’t force it.”

“Yeah, I remember that,” Jesse says, closing his eyes in an effort to stop of the world from spinning. The light of the transport is too bright - it still feels like it’s cutting through him. He nuzzles into Gabe’s hand instead. “Y’ gonna tell on me?”

“I want Angela to have a look at you, at least,” Gabe says. Jesse groans. 

“Can we skip it? She’s just gonna yell at me.”

“Mm. I think you can take it,” Gabe says. He lowers his voice. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t yell too much.”

Jesse smiles, turning his head to kiss Gabe’s palm. Gabe huffs out a little laugh and stays with him for the rest of the flight home. 

Δ Δ Δ

Several hours later, the strike team’s been debriefed and Jesse’s been released from the infirmary. Angela  _ did _ yell at him, but everything checked out so there was no reason to keep him overnight. She prescribed him rest, water, and extra strength aspirin, with additional orders to come back in the morning. Jesse leaves the infirmary, still squinting, and makes his way back to the Blackwatch barracks. Gabe is already waiting for Jesse by the time he makes it to Gabe’s quarters. 

“Okay?” Gabe asks, stepping aside to let Jesse in. 

“Guess I could’ve given myself an aneurism or something,” Jesse says, scrubbing a hand over his face. Gabe is suddenly pulling Jesse into his arms. He goes willingly, letting his head fall to rest on Gabe’s shoulder. 

“You have to be careful,” Gabe murmurs, voice low and rumbling through his chest. Jesse lets his eyes slide closed. 

“I’m careful.”

“More careful than that,” Gabe says. Jesse makes a face and picks up his head to look at Gabe. Gabe’s eyebrows are furrowed, his eyes worried. 

“I turned out okay,” Jesse says. Gabe cups Jesse’s cheek, running his thumb over Jesse’s left cheekbone, softly, tenderly. He kisses the lid of his left eye as his hand drops to Jesse’s left shoulder. Jesse stiffens a little. 

“Okay?” Gabe asks. Jesse hesitates then nods. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Jesse shuffles on the spot. “It’s just - It’s different. New.”

“Come here,” Gabe says. He brings Jesse over to his bed and presses him down to the sheets. He starts peeling Jesse’s clothes away, pressing kisses to his skin as it’s exposed. He lets Jesse help pull his clothes away too, until they’re both in their boxers, lying tangled in each other’s limbs. Gabe trails his fingers over Jesse’s left shoulder. Jesse is hyper-aware of each touch of Gabe’s fingers even though they don’t skate lower than the edge of his shoulder. “Is this okay?”

“I - yeah,” Jesse says after a moment. Gabe turns his head to look Jesse in the eye. 

“Are you sure?” he asks. Jesse bites down on the inside of his cheek. 

“Just not used to it yet,” Jesse says. Gabe nods. He leans in and kisses Jesse softly, his fingers still tracing circles over his shoulder. 

“You’ll get there,” Gabe says. Jesse breathes out, leaning his forehead against Gabe’s. They lie there for a while, Jesse tucking his head under Gabe’s chin. 

“You can - you can touch it if you want,” Jesse says finally. 

“Do you want me to?” Gabe asks. Jesse tilts his head to look up at him.

“Gotta start somewhere,” he says, the corner of his mouth curling up a little, still unsure. “Ain’t anyone I trust more than you.”

Gabe gives him a small smile and a sweet kiss. Jesse closes his eyes briefly as Gabe kisses his cheekbone under his left eye, then the lid. Gabe shifts Jesse off his chest so he’s lying on his back. He trails kisses down Jesse’s neck and across his collarbones, deliberately, firmly pressing his lips against his skin with each kiss, as if to emphasize the feeling behind it. Gabe kisses Jesse’s left shoulder. Jesse sucks in his breath in anticipation, but Gabe moves away again, dragging his lips over Jesse’s chest and neck until he relaxes again. 

It’s a slow but steady process, and Gabe is very patient. Jesse goes warm and pliant under Gabe, letting his eyes slip closed, his mouth fall open. He barely stirs as Gabe’s lips find his left shoulder again, kissing down his bicep, stopping just short of where the prosthetic meets skin. Jesse opens his eyes again and tilts his head down to look at Gabe. 

“Okay?” Gabe asks. Jesse swallows and nods.

“Keep going.”

Gabe keeps his eyes locked with Jesse, kissing the seam where metal meets flesh. It makes Jesse shudder, but he doesn’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing. Gabe pauses again, waiting for Jesse to give him the go ahead. Jesse nods and Gabe kisses the joint of his new elbow, the metal plating of his forearm. 

It’s a strange, unfamiliar feeling. Jesse can feel the pressure, the lightness of the touch, but can’t feel much else. Gabe takes his metal hand in both of his own and presses a kiss to his palm. Jesse curls his fingers in. Gabe straightens them out gently, smoothing his index finger down each of Jesse’s own, pressing kisses along each section, right up to the tips. Jesse watches with quiet wonder, slightly disbelieving at how intimate it feels. 

Finally, finally, Gabe comes back up and kisses Jesse deeply, lacing his hand with Jesse’s metal one. He squeezes lightly. 

“Okay?” Gabe asks, lips still brushing Jesse’s own. Jesse kisses him again. 

“I could get used to that.”


End file.
